5 Simple But Effective Ways to Make Your CV Stand Out

I’ve received thousands of CVs throughout my entire career and believe me, I’ve seen them all: Too long, too short, too boring, too many typos, too hard to read and every layout imaginable.

To make your CV stand out you need to take in a lot of factors to make it stand out. A few years ago, I was surprised to find a CV that actually managed to impress me.

In fact, it was one of the best CVS I had ever seen in my 8 years of hiring and interviewing. It had no gimmicks; no endless companies listed and weren’t folded into an origami airplane. Needless to say, I hired the candidate.

Here’s what made it stand out from the rest:

1. Easy to read

This CV had plenty of white space and was two pages long, which is expected if you have more than 8 years of experience.

Everything was nicely organized: Line spacing was just right, company names in bold, titles italicized and job details arranged in bullet points. Oh, and not a single typo to be found.

I liked that the font was nothing fancy. It should always be simple and easy to read.

2. Emphasize results rather than responsibilities

Instead of just listing your past responsibilities, make your CV stand out by emphasizing your results, and using quantifiable data to show your accomplishments.

So for example, instead of saying “I helped to increase social media engagement for Company X”, write “I increased social media engagement by 38% for Company X”.

3. It told a story

The CV told a story about the candidate’s career journey. There were no information gaps. From top to bottom, there was a clear “before and after.” In just a few seconds, I was able to see a “staircase pattern” of the candidate’s career growth.

In other words, the chronological list of work history in order of date, with the most recent position at the top showed a clear progression of more senior roles and more advanced responsibilities.

4. Show industry insight

An awareness of the industry you are applying for will show the recruiter that you have the ability to stay on top of trends. You will be a lot more attractive to employers if you are able to demonstrate knowledge of the industry, so make sure you are up to date with any news and industry changes.

This will also help you if you reach the interview stage.

5. Triple check for spelling mistakes

Even minor grammatical errors suggest you have poor attention to detail and could put you out of the running – make sure they’re banished from your CV.

Ask friends and family to review your CV; a fresh pair of eyes will be more effective at spotting the mistakes you’ve been staring at for days.

Finally…

Your CV is one of the most important parts of your job hunt. It will shape an employer’s first impression of you and will often dictate if you make it through the initial round of the application process. Get your CV reviewed today by an expert to turn the odds in your favor.

Good luck!